Chance Encounter
by Asuka
Summary: Shounen-ai. Satire. If I'm lucky you'll find it funny.


**Chance Encounter**

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

A figure not unfamiliar to the denizens of Budehuc Castle stalked stoically through the chill stone-and-mason corridors of the ground-level basement. He wore a dark and fearsome scowl across his smooth, youthful face. What you could see of it, anyway. And his scowl might have been more fearsome if he ever removed his mask - outwardly, no casual observer would have seen any change whatsoever in his expression. 

However, because he would have violated RPG tradition if he'd tried to remove the covering, Watari simply continued to skulk. And pout. And sulk. And wish he'd taken Ace up on his challenge to a drinking contest even though he hated alcohol. It might have been enough to relieve him, at least temporarily, of the strange thoughts that had plagued him for weeks now. 

He couldn't get that beautiful blonde off his mind. No matter how diligently he tried. 

Those piercing sky-blue eyes that could peel away even the icy ninja's hard veneer of indifference to see the quivering mass of humanity within. Those soft skeins of honey-colored hair, idly ruffling in a stray breeze... that full and undeniably kissable mouth, just beckoning for him to taste of its sweetness at some more opportune moment. 

But... should he reveal his desire for what it was? 

As it turned out, his chance came sooner that he would have expected - much to his chagrin. Rounding a corner, still staring angrily at the walkway before him... he failed to see the other individual walking the same direction. 

The two collided and stumbled backwards. 

Watari's chin snapped upwards, prepared to level his most threatening glare at whomever had interrupted his silent angsting and general display of moodiness. He had payments to earn, enemies to kill, rabid fangirls to satisfy... and dammit, on that note he was going to be late for that meeting of his with that young Karayan. Nothing would actually _happen_, of course. It wasn't much of a living, but at least it ensured that teenage girls wrote fanfiction about him - even if it meant fantasizing about him sleeping with Hugo. 

(Alas, they were sadly mistaken. His heart belonged to another. It always had. It always would.) 

The blonde was standing right before him, blue eyes gazing at him with an expression so completely unreadable that any ninja would have been impressed. ". . ." 

Unable to answer such an eloquently put query as to his well-being, Watari could only reply back in what he thought was a pretty lame pleasantry. ". . ." 

". . .?" 

". . ." 

Watari had to fight back the heat that flooded his cheeks even at such an obviously innocent statement. Surely... he hadn't meant... hadn't... But what if he had? He couldn't just stand here and let the beauty of his wildest dreams turn and walk away from him without realizing that the ninja's heart rested in the palm of his hand... as trembling and vulnerable as a small bird fallen from its nest. 

Damn. He was no good at scenes like these. He was a ninja. Ninjas were supposed to remain aloof, observing the world through the dispassionate eye of a predator. They were not supposed to fall in _love_. Or they certainly didn't express it if they did. 

Ayame would never let him hear the end of it if she found out. As if the entire world didn't know about her and that crazed Winghorder... 

And yet... 

_Those eyes, those beautiful eyes looking into his soul and stoking the unquenchable fire in his heart..._

". . .wait." 

Surprised, the beloved paused in that first step away from the tormented young man. Cerulean orbs tilted towards Watari, an unspoken question. Confusion, perhaps? 

". . ." 

A slow nod. ". . ." 

". . ." 

_Then--_

Watari might have wept tears of joy, if he were inclined to do such a thing. Ninjas certainly did not make such displays of weakness as tears, but his eyes misted briefly before clearing. So... the attraction was mutual, the feeling returned! It had been ages since he knew the dizzying sensation of euphoria, but now it coursed through his veins like quicksilver. Smiling broadly beneath the safety of his mask, the ninja's stance relaxed, stiffly folded arms dropping to his sides as he inclined his chin in a slow and ever-so-meaningful affirmative. 

Code of the ninja be damned. 

". . .thank you, Jacques." 

". . .no problem. . .see you at the cafe." 

And so Jacques went on his way, attention already wandering to his next order of business for the day... but a soft, gentle smile crept across the archer's face, nonetheless. Watari was so expressive, in ways that he could never be. He'd never thought that the outgoing ninja shared those feelings for him... oh, what a story he had to tell Toppo. 

Ah... the joys of love. 

~OWARI 

~*~*~*~*~*~

(**A/N**: Isn't this just the cutest pairing ever? ^_____^;;;;; They had such a kawaii scene in the bathhouse! OMG the way they just stared and ". . ." and then "Pass the soap" and I was all like SQUEE!! They so totally wanted each other!! :O) 


End file.
